Ninth Meeting of SAARC Chief Veterinary Officers’ (CVOs) Forum was held on Thursday (11 December 2025) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The event was organized by the Agriculture and Rural Development Division of the SAARC Secretariat in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land & Irrigation, Sri Lanka and SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Dhaka. Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) Dr. Md. Abu Sufiun (Bangladesh), Dr. Rinzin Pem (Bhutan), Dr. Praveen Malik (India), Mr. Indunil Amaranath Jayawickrama (Maldives), Dr. Ram Nandan Tiwari (Nepal), Dr. S. Murtaza Hassan Andrabi (Pakistan) and Dr. K.K. Sarath (Sri Lanka) participated in the Meeting.

Addressing as the representative of SAARC Secretariat at the opening session, Mr. Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, Director (ARD & SDF), highlighted the collective initiatives and collaborations among the SAARC Member States enhancing the capacity in the veterinary sector of this region. Later, as representative of the Secretary General of SAARC, he formally opened the Meeting.

Dr. Harunur Rashid, Director, SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), in his remarks, stated that there is tremendous scope of collaboration among the Member States regarding Veterinary Services. He assured the Forum of SAC’s supports for all SAARC initiatives.

Dr. Hirofumi Kugita, World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) Regional Representative for Asia and Pacific conveyed his appreciation to the SAARC Secretariat, SAC and the Government of Sri Lanka for organizing and hosting the meeting. He conveyed commitment for the supports from WOAH for the initiatives taken by the SAARC. Mentioning the priority areas like PPR, LSD, EpiNet, Dr. Kugita emphasized on the possible collective mechanism and ways to work together.

As the representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Mr. Scott Newman emphasized on the sustainable food production and biosecurity with controlling animal diseases in the South Asian Countries in coordinated manner. Mr. Scott, mentioning action plan and upcoming activities of FAO, expressed his willingness and expressed possibility of connecting the FAO activities to the initiatives of SAARC.

With participation from Chief Veterinary Officers of the Member States, the Forum rigorously discussed relevant agenda, took important decisions relating to veterinary activities & services and chalked out plan for upcoming years. The meeting concluded with the strong appeal and urge for collaboration for the welfare of SAARC region.

11 December, 2025

A two-day Regional Workshop on “Assessing Impact of Transboundary Animal Diseases in South Asia,” followed by the SAARC CVOs Forum Meeting, was held on Wednesday (10 December 2025) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The event was jointly organized by the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Dhaka and the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH), Sri Lanka, bringing together leading policymakers, scientists, veterinary experts and development partners from the SAARC Member States (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka), WOAH Asia and Pacific, FAO RAP, ACAPSI and Regional and International Organizations. The workshop aimed to strengthen regional coordination and assess the growing threat of transboundary animal diseases (TADs), which continue to affect livestock productivity, food security and rural livelihoods in South Asia.

Delivering the address of the Chief Guest, Mr. D.P. Wickremasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land & Irrigation called for stronger investment in technology, laboratory capacity and early-warning systems. He emphasized that safeguarding animal health is key to ensuring food safety, supporting rural economies and enhancing regional trade.

The Guest of Honour, Dr. Palika Fernando, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land & Irrigation, highlighted Sri Lanka’s ongoing efforts to strengthen veterinary services and disease surveillance. She noted that regional workshops such as this provide vital opportunities for countries to learn from each other’s experiences and align their strategies.

Representing the SAARC Secretariat, Mr. Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, Director (ARD & SDF), SAARC Secretariat, Nepal, underscored the importance of integrating regional frameworks with national disease-control programs. He noted that the SAARC Secretariat will continue to support cross-border collaboration, capacity-building and harmonized reporting systems.

Dr. Md. Harunur Rashid, Director, SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), in his special remarks, reiterated SAC’s commitment to promoting evidence-based policymaking and fostering collaboration among SAARC Member States. He stressed that South Asia, with one of the world’s largest livestock populations, must adopt a unified strategy to mitigate disease risks. “No single country can tackle TADs alone. Only through shared knowledge and joint action can we build resilient livestock systems,” he said.

The session concluded with remarks by the Chairperson, Dr. K.K. Sarath, Chief Veterinary Officer and Director General of DAPH, who stressed the need for sustained regional commitment. The program began with an overview presentation by Dr. Md. Younus Ali, Senior Program Specialist (Livestock), SAC, who highlighted the economic and social consequences emphasized that regional disease surveillance, joint research and rapid response mechanisms are essential to safeguard livestock-dependent communities.

Mention that, the two-day workshop featured technical sessions, country presentations, and focused group discussions. Key recommendations will be submitted to the SAARC CVOs Forum for policy action. The meeting reaffirmed the region’s commitment to strengthening cooperation against transboundary diseases and safeguarding the livelihoods of millions who depend on livestock.

10 December, 2025

On the occasion of the historic 40th anniversary of the SAARC Charter, the Secretary General Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar and Madam Taslima Sarwar hosted a Diplomatic Reception in Kathmandu today. Rt. Hon'ble Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, Vice President of Nepal, graced the function with his presence as the Chief Guest. The reception was attended by the high dignitaries of Nepal, Ambassadors and Representatives of the Embassies of the Member States, Observer States, Heads of Diplomatic Missions and International Organizations in Kathmandu, representatives of business community and civil society, editors and reporters of media houses and people from all walks of life.

Heads of States/Governments as well as the Foreign Ministers of SAARC Member States issued dedicatory messages on 08 December 2025 to commemorate this momentous day. In their special messages, the Heads of State/Government and Ministers of Foreign Affairs have underscored the importance of SAARC as a shared platform to foster mutual understanding, collaboration and solidarity in order to build a peaceful, prosperous and integrated South Asia.

Reaffirming their commitment to the ideals and founding objectives as articulated in the Charter, the Leaders also acknowledged the imperatives of concerted efforts and meaningful action to harness economic potentials, achieve sustained and equitable development, and to address the shared challenges confronting the region bound by history, culture and destiny.

Addressing today’s function, Ambassador Sarwar briefly reflected on the journey SAARC has made so far. With its focus on institutional strengthening and norm setting in priority areas to the implementation of programs in the first forty years, to now aiming for global outreach, SAARC has made tremendous progress in both scope and substance, he said.

Extending gratitude to the esteemed Member States, Observer States, Development Partners, Diplomatic Missions, regional and international organizations for their invaluable cooperation and support to SAARC through all these years, H.E. Mr Sarwar also wished for their continued goodwill and steadfast support in the years to come as well.

Earlier, H.E. the Secretary General of SAARC Mr. Md. Golam Sarwar had also issued a message to commemorate the 40^th anniversary of the SAARC Charter on 8 December, 2025.

It may be mentioned that the Heads of State/Government of seven South Asian countries launched SAARC by adopting its Charter at the First Summit held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 08 December 1985. Since then, 08 December is observed as the SAARC Charter Day every year across the South Asia region.

Kathmandu, 09 December, 2025

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) commemorates its historic 40^th anniversary of the adoption of the SAARC Charter on 8 December 2025. The SAARC was launched by the South Asian Heads of State/Government at their First Summit in Dhaka by adopting the Charter on 08 December 1985. Since then, 08 December is commemorated as the SAARC Charter Day every year.

The Heads of State/Government and Foreign Ministers of SAARC Member States have issued dedicatory special messages in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the adoption of SAARC Charter. In their special messages, the Heads of State/Government and Ministers of Foreign Affairs have underscored the importance of SAARC as a shared platform to foster mutual understanding, collaboration and solidarity in order to build a peaceful, prosperous and integrated South Asia.

Reaffirming their commitment to the ideals and founding objectives as articulated in the Charter, the Leaders also acknowledged the imperatives of concerted efforts and meaningful action to harness economic potentials, achieve sustained and equitable development, and to address the shared challenges confronting the region bound by history, culture and destiny.

In addition, the Leaders have conveyed their felicitations and greetings to the peoples and Governments of the Member States on the occasion of the Charter Day. Copies of their messages are attached.

The Secretary General of SAARC, H.E. Mr. Md. Golam Sarwar, has also issued a message to commemorate this momentous occasion. Extending gratitude to the esteemed Member States, Observer States, Development Partners, Diplomatic Missions, regional and international organizations for their invaluable cooperation and support to SAARC through all these years, he wished for their continued goodwill and steadfast support in the years to come as well.

SAARC has journeyed far, Secretary General said, recounting briefly the journey of SAARC from its focus on institutional strengthening and norm setting in priority areas to the implementation of programs across an array of sectors with a view to materialize the collective aspirations of the people of South Asia. He also hailed the Charter Day as an important occasion to reflect on the past accomplishments and to forge renewed commitment to reinvigorate the SAARC process.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the adoption of SAARC Charter, the Secretary General of SAARC and his spouse will host a diplomatic reception in Kathmandu in the evening of 9 December 2025.

Kathmandu, 08 December 2025